Your Best Chance
by iLOVEdisneyandvampiresxx1996
Summary: Once there were two women who never knew each other. One you do not remember, the other you call mother." -unknown. Ever wondered how come Caleb and Tris are so close in age? Sure, Irish twins are a thing, but...what if that hadn't been the case? What if it had been love, and not blood, that had brought them together in the first place? AU/OOC/Rated T for language/One-shot. r&r
**A/N: Believe it or not this took me almost a year to write :^) I was slacking sooo much. To all those die hard Divergent fans, I never had time to read any of the books, I just watched the movies, so I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart if you hate this. Which is why I've stated it will be AU (alternate universe) and OOC (out of character), I hope labeling it as such will earn me your forgiveness (: Man I haven't written anything since I was 14 (I am now 19) and doing this felt so good. Hopefully I'll get back into the habit, if college allows it.**

 **Without further ado, I leave you all with my personal alternate story of why Caleb and Tris are so close in age without being twins (yes I am quite familiar with the concept of Irish twins :^) but this is my own version).**

* * *

The curtain that served as her door swayed constantly as the crowd walked hastily in front of her home. It was a late spring morning, perhaps midday. The almost 80° weather did not help her condition at all. She stretched uncomfortably on the mattress pad that served as her bed, and got a strong nudge to the ribs in return. She smiled, pressing back with her finger and finally resting her hand on her round belly. It had been a rough morning, but gladly, it was over. She sighed contentedly.

Gabriella Hart had just turned sixteen. She had silky, honey-blonde hair that reached past her shoulders, eyes as green as a newly bloomed meadow, and fair skin. She had never received an education, so she had very limited knowledge about—well, everything. She had been factionless her whole life, raised by a neglectful father who would leave her for days or weeks at a time to fend for herself—in his defense, he struggled to find work, and had to move around often. And because her mother had died during childbirth, this was the only kind of love she knew. Deep inside, she worried she'd suffer the same fate. Despite her rough childhood, she had made it to adolescence—which she considered quite impressive.

Growing up, she had never had many friends; half of the kids in her neighborhood didn't make it past puberty. Despite this, she lived among so, so many people. She was lucky she had had a place to live since infancy. Her house wasn't big—it was just a medium-sized room—but she was grateful she had it. Most people had less. Actually, most people had nothing. Sure, there were some people that inhabited abandoned, decrepit buildings, but there was a silent agreement that those apartments were solely for the terminally ill and the elderly along with their families.

The curtain kept swaying, more continuously now. It was probably lunchtime. Gabriella sat up; Abnegation came once a day, and once a day only, and their visits were not to be missed. Leaving her home, she followed the populace all the way outside of the living quarters, past the homeless' improvised shelters and a few Dauntless soldiers, and reached the designated location. She had made a sack out of an old rag which she used to store the food and clothes she received. A couple of older women couldn't help looking at her bump in disgust; though worn, her face gave away her age. She tried to give them her most ironic smile—who did these stiffs think they were anyway? What did they know? They probably hadn't lived half of the terrible things she had. She received the food graciously, and she also received clothes from all the factions. She even got a tiny red hat and matching set of mittens. She just smiled, her emerald eyes never giving anything away.

She followed the line of people until she could see the Priors. Gabriella hadn't seen them in almost a year. The lady—Natalie—had always been nice to her, but she had no idea how she would react to seeing her now. She froze in her place for a few seconds, but felt an encouraging push in her bellybutton nudging her forward. She smiled and finally decided to close the distance.

"Hi, Mrs. Prior," Gabriella said smilingly. The lady's eyes widened in recognition and she grinned, pulling the young girl in a hug.

"Gabby! Oh, it's been too long! My, how you've grown!" Gabriella returned the hug and smiled, grateful that Natalie had made no mention of her very obvious condition. "Andrew!" Mrs. Prior called her husband over. His gaze landed on her and he smiled; then it drifted to her swollen stomach and his expression fell. He quickly tried to conceal it but Gabriella had noticed; she pretended she hadn't.

"Hello Mr. Prior, long time no see."

"Hello dear. How are you doing?" he asked.

"Surprisingly, good. My daddy was home for a few days; you know, helping around."

Mr. Prior nodded.

"He's hanging in there. He's been coming around often; in fact, he told me to expect him in a couple days; that he'd stay for about two weeks. Gotta hope he'll stay true to it," she decided to add.

"Oh, you poor thing," Natalie said sympathetically, rubbing Gabriella's scrawny arm. She smiled gratefully in return. She had been fond of them ever since she met them when she was ten years old. Mrs. Prior had noticed the skin sticking to her bones, making her facial features look so sharp and her eyes so hollow. The Priors had started coming often, if only to check on her, and they knew her story—at least what Gabriella had wanted to share. Natalie pulled her close for a while and proceeded to whisper in her ear, "does your father know?"

Gabriella looked at her dumbfounded, as if she had no clue what Mrs. Prior was even talking about. "Excuse me?"

"About your pregnancy? Gabby, have you been receiving medical care? What does your father think?"

Gabriella felt tears well in her eyes. She wanted to use a cocky comeback like _why do you care_ , _what do you even know,_ or something of the sort. Natalie noticed this, and quickly added, "I just want to make sure you're alright, honey. You know, it's my duty to look out for you."

"I…" her voice broke, giving away much sadness. "Mrs. Prior, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you privately."

"Of course, dear," Natalie said, as she took Gabriella's hand and pulled her away from the crowd. "I'm sorry we haven't checked on you in such a long time. I barely even recognized you when I saw you moments ago; you've grown into such a beautiful young lady."

Gabriella smiled, a couple tears threatening to fall as she was touched by the lady's kindness. "I'm surprised you could come; Choosing Ceremony just passed and I assumed you guys would be busy with the initiates."

"Oh, we could never stop coming here." Natalie smiled. "When are you due?"

Gabriella felt a lump in her throat. "I, uh…" she stopped, then breathed. "I ain't sure. Four months, I think?"

Mrs. Prior's eyes widened. "So you haven't been able to see a doctor yet. That won't be a problem; I'm sure we will be able to get you one. Your baby's father can come with you too. Is he here right now? I'd love to talk to you both about this."

"No, Mrs. Prior. I...I was hurt." Her voice was numb; that was her way of dealing with pain.

Natalie's jaw dropped reflecting shock and horror, and she covered her mouth. She hugged the young girl. "Oh, dear." Gabriella returned the hug, and she felt overwhelmed; she couldn't remember the last time someone had shown so much concern for her well-being. Then Natalie held her by the shoulders and took a step back. "So you were assaulted?" Her voice sounded furious. "Was it your father?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Oh, no, he ain't the best father, but he ain't bad like that."

"Did you tell anyone what happened?"

"Mrs. Prior, I loved someone. I thought he loved me back but I was wrong; he never came to see me again after he found out."

"Where is he?" Natalie inquired. Gabriella could tell she was angry, as much as Mrs. Prior tried to hide it. She felt her heart sink; could she tell? Mrs. Prior did care about her deeply, unlike _him_ …but she still loved him, oh so much. Every day she loved him more.

"Well, he's a...," she said shyly. "He's an Erudite."

Natalie released her shoulders as her jaw dropped yet again and she covered her mouth. "Are you telling the truth?"

"'Course I am, Mrs. Prior, I'd never lie to you." Her shoulders slumped forward as she felt hot tears burn her eyes, threatening to fall once again.

"That is a very serious accusation. The people from Erudite would know better than to come here and mess around."

"Mrs. Prior, this ain't no lie! He came to visit me, with his book; oh, he was so handsome, Mrs. Prior, and he knew everything! He taught me so much—I loved him dearly!" That was when she couldn't help it, she couldn't put up her front any longer. She wept in Mrs. Prior's arms for a long time.

Gabriella finally broke the embrace but stood close to Mrs. Prior, and wiped her face with her worn sleeves, dust sticking to her cheeks. "Please, don't tell anyone. I still love him."

"I will think about it, Gabby, but it is _not_ alright for an Erudite to come over here and hurt you like this. You deserve better." Gabriella just looked at her; did she really? She often thought about how stupid she had been—a smart, handsome man like that? How could she have fallen for it? She had been parched for love.

"Mrs. Prior, I think I'll go home now, I'm much too tired."

"Let me walk you home, dear."

Both women walked towards the living quarters. Gabriella felt herself get short of breath often, but she kept on going. Within minutes, they arrived, and she was glad Mrs. Prior made no comment about the condition of the place she lived. She had never brought her near her house.

"You didn't have to do this," Gabriella couldn't help herself and gave Mrs. Prior a tight hug. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, dear. And hey—" Mrs. Prior reached inside her dress's pocket and took out a small clear tube that contained pills, "please have these. Take one every night."

"What's this?" Gabriella held the flask, amazed.

"They're vitamins. They're good for your baby. Please, don't forget to take them."

"Oh, you knew already? That I was with child?"

"I had no idea; I brought them because I have to take one every day too. I am going to have a baby as well," Natalie said, smiling excitedly. Her happiness was obvious in her voice, and Gabriella longed to feel that way too.

"That's amazing!" she exclaimed, smiling back.

"I'm only two months along, but yes, Andrew and I are very happy."

"I hope you visit more often."

"For certain."

"Thank you, Mrs. Prior. For everything. You have such a big heart."

They said their goodbyes, and Natalie walked away. Gabriella loved the thought of such kind people like the Priors being out there. Then she thought of _him_. She would usually start bawling every time she did but this time, she just became numb. She lay on her bed, and couldn't get him off her head. "Why did you leave me…I loved you…" she whispered, hoping the wind would carry her words, all the way to him.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Mrs. Prior did come often, at least once a week, without fail. Gabriella watched as her baby bump grew, as did her own. She was glad to have someone that knew what she was going through. Gabriella found it harder to get up from her bed each time, more draining to work every day, and overall, heavier every morning. She tried to ignore it. Thankfully her father was around much more often; in fact, he had now been home for almost a month.

"Gabby, please pass me a water bottle," he said as they ate lunch. She grabbed one bottle from a box and placed it on the tablecloth they were using to eat.

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

Her father was a tall, scrawny man. He also had a deep voice and a somewhat Scottish accent which she hadn't heard from anyone else, except for them both—not even he was sure who he had gotten it from. He assumed it came from his own biological parents, who had traded him for medical supplies to a factionless family that was better off, when he was just a small child. He had no memories of them whatsoever.

They continued to eat silently for a few more minutes, until her father spoke up again. "How're you feeling?"

"The same: heavy, in pain, hard to breathe," she said, resting her hands on her immense baby bump.

Her father hummed and continued eating.

"I think a serious conversation is long overdue," he said suddenly.

"What's there to talk about?"

He shook his head and sighed. "Well, the future, your baby, and especially, your baby's father. I ain't seen him around. I told you, I ain't upset over you being pregnant, because your mother was only a couple years older when she had you. But it _does_ upset me that he ain't ever here."

Gabriella's stomach dropped. She suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore; in fact she started feeling sick. "I think I'm full," she said, attempting to get up.

"Oh no, Ms. Hart. Come sit at the table with your father. This conversation ain't over."

"But daddy, I'm tired."

"You ain't ever napped at lunchtime. It's fine if you don't eat but you ain't leaving."

Gabriella sighed in defeat. "What do you want me to tell you?"

Her father was thoughtful for a few seconds. "Perhaps his name?"

She took a few deep breaths, hoping this would make her answer come out more easily. "Caleb," she finally uttered.

Her father said nothing but looked at her firmly. "Do I know him?"

Another pause. Then, "no daddy, you don't."

"Have I ever even seen him?"

"No."

"So he was just some random boy that climbed into your bed and left you like this? That what you're trying to say?" He sounded angry now.

"Daddy, it ain't like that! We were in love. But…" her voice trailed off. She knew she wouldn't get to nap until she said it all.

"But?" her father demanded.

"He ain't factionless, alright? He was an Erudite. He said he came here because he was on a mission. He brought a book and taught me stuff. He taught me how to read."

Her father looked at her dumbfounded. "You can read?"

"Aye. He also taught me about the stars, and he knew so much about numbers. He taught me about the factions and the system, daddy. He taught me poems."

Her father gave her a stern look. "And?"

For some reason, she felt like she could finally open up. She had all these feelings and memories of their time together buried in her mind that came out to tease her every night, sweet torture. Before she knew it, she was spilling it all out. "He said he wanted to start writing his own poems about injustice, and that he was on a mission to find inspiration. He called himself a revolutionary. But after he met me, he started writing all these beautiful poems about me." She glanced at her father, who was waiting for her to continue. "He visited me almost every single week. We got closer until my heart was his; I would've done anything for him. I wanted to give him everything. And I did."

Gabriella thought she saw her father turn a bit sad. She went on. "He told me he was choosing at this year's Choosing Ceremony. He said he had always wanted nothing else but to remain an Erudite his whole life, but that he wasn't sure anymore. I was over the moon, thinking he'd choose to be with me. A few weeks later, I started becoming sick. Since he was so smart, I thought maybe he'd help me out." She felt really sick by then, and it was unbelievably hot in the room.

"Go on."

She gathered all her courage. "I told him what was happening and then he knew. He said he was so happy, that he'd come to live with me and we'd be a family. He held me, and kissed me…and that was the last time I saw him." She laughed ironically. "How could I been such a fool? Who would _choose_ to become factionless? Even worse, who'd do that for _me_?!"

Her father stood up. "That boy can't do that to you. He needs to be here and help us out."

"Daddy, did you not hear? He's an Erudite."

"Erudite my arse, I cannot support another child, and you're too young to do this alone. He has to be with you. Otherwise," he paused briefly and took a breath, "you can't live here anymore."

Gabriella looked at him in shock. "You can't be serious?"

"Aye; _dead_ serious, Gabriella. That baby will be here soon, and with a baby comes responsibility; the father has to help us out."

She stood up, feeling lightheaded as she did. "But I ain't got no way of contacting him," she said, her voice breaking. "So you're basically saying you're going to throw me and my newborn out."

"If I have to, I will. I mean it, Gabby. If I could support any more children, _I_ would have had them."

She started crying. "I promise I'll get everything the baby needs; please, don't throw me out, daddy!"

"I'm hoping to teach you a lesson with this, kid. Find a father for your child, and then we'll talk. A baby ain't got a chance growing up without a father."

Gabriella was livid. "Seriously? Like you were around when I grew up! Maybe that's why I'm messed up!"

"How dare you!" her father shouted. "Ungrateful brat, after all I've done for you, you repay me by spreading your legs for some random loser, like a tramp!"

"Don't call me that! You ain't ever been here for me; this is the first time in my entire life that I've seen you more than a whole week!"

He slapped her across the face. "Don't you dare say that! I work hard to make a living for us!"

Plenty of people were yelling at them from the other quarters, urging them to quiet down. Gabriella couldn't stay there anymore; she felt too sick. She ran out the door, leaving her home behind. Her father was shouting at her, telling her to come back, but she didn't care; she just ran. There were only a few people out of the living quarters—everyone else was either eating, or waiting for the folks from Abnegation—so she easily found a lonely corner where she could weep in peace.

Once she calmed herself, she leaned her hands on the wall in front of her for support, as she was feeling lightheaded. Her back had been killing her all day. All of a sudden, she felt a gush of water rush down from her body, and the agonizing pain from her back spread all the way to her lower belly and hips. She screamed.

The Priors were not too far away, as they had decided to visit the homeless' shelters to provide food for all the disabled people that couldn't walk to the location where they usually distributed the goods. That was when Natalie heard a loud, bloodcurdling wail coming from near the factionless' living quarters.

"Andrew? What was that?"

"It sounded like someone screaming."

"I better go see," Natalie said uneasily, heading the way they had heard it come from. Andrew held her hand and pulled her close to him. He knew he had to be selfless, but he could not help being protective of his pregnant wife.

"No, Natalie, not in your condition. It could be dangerous."

"But what if someone's hurt? What if somebody needs help?"

"That is the dauntless' job. Come on, let's head back now."

Natalie reluctantly obeyed, but remained worried. When they got back to their home later that day, she couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. At night, she couldn't sleep. Andrew realized this and so he sat on the bed next to her.

"What's wrong, dear? You've been acting strange all day."

"I just…I can't get that sound out of my head. Andrew, I think someone was in awful pain. We could have helped them…"

"I'm sure the people from dauntless have taken care of it by now. Please rest."

Natalie sighed. "You're right," she said. "I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Sleep, please."

"Will do," she said smilingly.

A few weeks passed, and Natalie still wondered what had happened that day. She was now six months pregnant. Andrew grew uneasy of her going on their weekly trips to help the factionless, but she insisted on going along with him. She did feel concern, though, about the fact that they had not seen Gabriella in a long time. She often wanted to inquire, but Andrew advised her against; after all, it was best not to be curious. She agreed, and wondered if Gabriella had already given birth. She had been a few months ahead in her pregnancy, after all.

"Here; something for your girls," said Natalie as a factionless woman approached her with three little girls.

"Thank you, Mrs. Prior. The girls will love them," she replied as she stuffed the three pairs of socks in her pockets. Natalie smiled and looked at the crowded space in front of her. She decided to take a short walk around the area, inwardly hoping she'd catch sight of Gabriella. But she had no luck. Disappointedly, she returned home with her husband.

 **###**

Months went by, and Natalie was almost full term. On her last doctor's appointment, she was told that her child could arrive any day, so the expectant parents had the whole house ready for its arrival, aside from a few last minute details. It had been a long time since the soon-to-be mother had stepped out of her compound's dwellings, and she wanted to get some air. She tried to convince her husband that she would be fine paying one last visit to the factionless, before her task as a new mother absorbed her completely.

"Natalie, I don't feel so sure about this…"

"I promise I will be _very_ careful, Andrew. I won't even be gone for long. But I really need to go out and get some fresh air."

"Fine. But, please, be cautious. I will finish setting up the baby's room and then I'll go to a meeting, so I can't come with you, but do _not_ hesitate to contact me if anything happens."

"I will be fine."

She stepped out of her home and made her way to the factionless sector. She took with her a couple new toys and a blanket—she was hoping she would be able to see Gabriella.

When she arrived, she was surprised to find very few people wandering. She walked her way around the area until she saw a solitary tent that she had not seen before. She walked in front of it and saw her friend inside, sleeping. Natalie smiled.

"Gabby? It's Mrs. Prior!"

The young girl shifted in her place before she weakly sat up, rubbing her eye. Natalie could see her abdomen was flat—in fact she had become worryingly skinny. She also saw that her face was dirty, as were her clothes, which had almost turned to rags. She looked awfully sick and groggy. Gabriella looked at her but didn't seem to recognize her.

"Hey, Gabriella!"

"Mrs. Prior," she said, her voice was barely above a whisper and breaking.

"What are you doing here, dear? What happened?"

"Mrs. Prior," Gabriella repeated. "I have been waiting for you. Please, there ain't no time. You must take him." Her voice sounded hoarse. She reached behind her back and lifted a small bassinet. She pushed it shakily in Natalie's direction, urging her to hold it.

"Take him?" Natalie examined the object at her feet. She removed the blanket that covered it. "…oh." She couldn't help but stare adoringly at the tiny infant that slept soundly.

"Please, go away. Take him with you." It seemed like even talking was an overwhelming effort to her.

Natalie lifted the infant without disturbing his sleep and looked at Gabriella like questioningly. "But where?"

"Take him as your son, please."

"But, he's your—"

"He can't grow up here," her voice broke once again and she started tearing up. She was shivering uncontrollably.

"Gabby, please come out here," Mrs. Prior carefully shifted the infant's weight to one arm and used the other to try and pull the young girl up on her feet. Gabriella took her hand but remained sat on the ground. "I haven't seen you in so long, what happened to you?"

"My daddy threw me out, said he ain't harboring a tramp." She looked at the ground. Natalie gasped. "I had my son the next day, all by myself. I've been very sick, Mrs. Prior. I'm dying."

"We need to get you medical attention," Natalie's voice sounded desperate.

"No; after I had the baby, something went wrong. I have an infection, I've been told. Ain't nothing to be done."

"What? No, Gabby, don't talk like that. You'll be alright."

Gabriella said nothing while she stared at the infant. "He's named after his father. Do you think he knows, Mrs. Prior? That we had a baby. Do you think he can feel it?" Her voice was becoming weaker and lower.

"Gabby, I'm getting you a doctor."

"No," she replied, laying back on the ground. "I can go now, and it'll be fine. Please take him."

"Don't you want to see your baby grow?" Natalie hoped this would bring her back to her senses.

Gabriella whimpered. "Aye, more than anything. But it ain't fair to him, to have given him life just so he'll grow up in this dump and end up like me. I want to give him his best chance." She closed her eyes and let out a broken sob, "Please take my Caleb."

"Gabby, no, open your eyes, please." Natalie urged. She placed the baby back in the bassinet and difficultly knelt on the ground next to the blonde girl's body. She shook her. "Gabriella?"

"Take my baby with you," she whispered, opening her eyes one last time and looking at the sky. " _Please_ , take my baby…" her voice became inaudible. At that moment, her body went limp, and her eyes remained open.

"No!" Natalie gasped. She had never admitted it, but she had always considered Gabriella a daughter. She sobbed for a long time. Finally, she shut the young mother's eyelids and shifted her attention the bassinet.

Natalie anxiously removed the blanket again and found the smiling baby boy who had just woken up, completely oblivious to what had just happened. She couldn't just leave him there. But what could she do? If she didn't take him…she didn't even want to imagine what would happen to him. She picked him up and rocked him in her arms, which caused him to quickly fall back asleep. She wrapped him in his blanket again and thought about taking him home. She could do it. But could she make this choice alone? What would Andrew say?

"Andrew," she whispered. She had to go home. She held Caleb and made her way home as fast as she could. Luckily, the place was still pretty much empty. She made it to her home without being noticed. She frantically knocked on the door.

"Natalie? Is that you? Is everything alright?" he exclaimed worriedly from inside as he ran to meet her.

"Yes! Please let me in—and lower your voice!"

Andrew opened the door and Natalie ran inside. "Andrew," she said, her voice breaking again. "Gabby has passed away."

Andrew gasped and covered his mouth with one hand. "Oh, no," he guided her to a couch and sat next to her. He then noticed the bundle in her arms.

"She begged me to take her baby. I couldn't just leave him there, Andrew. What are we going to do?" She started crying once again.

"We'll figure something out. But please, calm down now," he said, rubbing her back. The baby in her arms remained asleep. How old was he exactly? Four, five months? Natalie felt sad for not even knowing when he had been born. Regardless, she could tell by his chubby limbs that he had been well fed and taken care of. His mother had done such a good job, Natalie thought to herself.

In that moment, she felt a searing ache in her back, unlike any other she had felt in the past months, and gasped. "Andrew," she winced under her breath. "I think it's time."

"What? You mean now?"

"Yes!" she tried to keep her voice down. "Please hold Caleb. I'll get the baby's bag."

"But, Natalie, what are we going to do about him?"

Natalie winced as another, stronger contraction hit. "Really?!" she hissed. "This is not the time to talk discuss this! We'll figure something out, we always do. Let's get going now!"

 **###**

A couple days later, the Priors returned home. Baby Beatrice slept soundly in Natalie's arms while Andrew held Caleb, who was looking around in wonder. They were glad nobody had asked any questions. They laid their babies in the crib, and stood in front of them.

"Are you tired?" Natalie asked, holding her husband's hand in hers.

"Dead tired. Nothing beats being home; I had an awful time trying to sleep there. Plus having two babies is no easy task."

"I know what you mean. But at least we have _both_ of our babies home now."

"What are we going to do regarding Caleb's documentation? He doesn't have a birth certificate," Andrew asked uneasily. They had been avoiding the subject but it was only a matter of time before they had to talk about it.

"We'll find a way to get him one; I'll…see if I can pull a few strings."

Andrew smiled, looking at his wife in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Caleb is my son now, Andrew, and I'd do absolutely _anything_ for him, like I would for Beatrice. I made that commitment the moment I took him from…" Natalie stopped, feeling like she was about to cry. "Oh, I hadn't realized how much I miss her."

"Hey," he comforted her, "she's okay. She's not hurting anymore and I'm sure she's happy, wherever she may be. She really couldn't have chosen a better mother for that child."

" _Our_ child, Andrew," she corrected him. "And, do you really think so?"

"Sure," he said. "These past couple of days, I've seen how you've taken care of Beatrice, and it's been wonderful. I hope I'll be a good parent too."

"You already are," she replied, softly stroking his hand.

Both babies began to cry at the same time and both parents picked them up. As Natalie held Caleb, he immediately quieted down; she looked at his now smiling face and knew she had done the right thing; he was her baby now, and she didn't want it any other way.

 **###**

 _ **~One year earlier~**_

Caleb woke up before the sun did and made sure his family was asleep before he made his way out of his home. He walked past the block and turned on a corner. He had to make sure no one saw him, or else he would not be able to leave.

Once he had walked a few miles, he stopped to rest for a few minutes. He sat on the ground and took an apple from his backpack. As he bit into it, he reminisced on the events that had taken place the day before.

" _But have you had a temperature?" he says worriedly, placing his hand on her forehead._

" _No," Gabriella replies. "I just can't keep anything down. I feel dizzy and weak all the time because of it."_

 _He frowns and caresses her hair, leaving a kiss on top of her head. He loves her, oh, so much. She's his angel and knowing that she's not feeling well is so troubling. She groans and leans her head back on his chest as he massages her shoulders. "Feel any better?"_

" _Mhm," she hums as she sighs contentedly. Knowing she's pleased brings a smile to his lips. "It must be a bug or something. Since you know everything, I was hoping you could tell me what's wrong."_

" _I don't know_ everything _, cherub," he says, emphasizing the last word—he knows she loves it when he uses words she's never heard before—"and, most likely, never will. But I think I can help you out on this one." He reaches inside his backpack and takes out a notebook and a pen. "Can you tell me exactly how you feel?"_

" _Every morning for over a week, I have been woken up by a sick feeling in my stomach which makes me rush out of bed and throw up. And during the day I can't even drink water, everything I eat comes right back up." She breathes and goes on. "I've also been bleeding inconsistently. I am always so tired. And my chest feels sore."_

 _As soon as he finishes writing it all down, a panic stricken look crosses his face for a brief second. He thinks about all the times he has been alone with her in that very room, loving on her for what seemed like forever. He's never really been careful, and so he slaps himself mentally—he should have known better!_

" _Ella…" he whispers—he only calls her that when he's dead serious about something. "Are you, by any chance…late?"_

" _You're so weird," she chuckles. "Late? What does that even mean?"_

" _You know…your…menstruation," he says as he blushes slightly. He may be an Erudite, but it's still uncomfortable to discuss that particular topic with the girl he's head over heels for._

 _She remains silent for a few minutes, and finally turns to face him, tears pooling in her eyes. She slowly nods._

 _His first instinct is to hug her—he absolutely_ hates _seeing her cry. "Shh," he soothes her. "Don't cry, my love." He holds her tightly and she looks at him like she's lost. "I'm right here." She whimpers and he starts crying too, for he hates seeing her like this. "I'll always be right here. Please don't cry."_

" _I don't…what am—"_

" _Don't fret," he says as he gently kisses her lips. "We'll figure it out."_

Caleb sighed as wiped his sticky fingers on his handkerchief and resumed his walk. He was at the edge of his compound; he just had to walk over to the next one, where he would climb to the top of a building and jump on a train, hopefully unnoticed, to finally be reunited with his love. As he waited, he continued to reminisce.

 _Caleb stands up as Gabriella enters her home and slowly walks towards him._

 _He sighs and walks towards her as well. "Were the people from Abnegation still here? Did they confirm you're…" he swallows and takes deep a breath, "…with child?"_

 _She simply nods and looks at him expectantly. He can tell that she's about to burst into tears, so he decides to smile and hug her as tightly as he can. "I'm so happy," he whispers to her._

 _He can tell she was definitely taken aback by his reaction because she lets go of him and takes a step back. "What?"_

" _What do you mean 'what'?" he asks like she's gone mad. "I'm on cloud nine! We're going to have a baby!" he says excitedly—he just doesn't want her to cry or feel scared, even though he's absolutely terrified._

" _You really are happy?" she says, smiling now—there's the smile he adores!_

" _Of course I am, angel. I love you so much," he replies, showering her face in kisses._

" _I love you too," she says amidst tears, but she's still smiling. "So much." He embraces her fondly. She's so, so beautiful and so unbelievably adorable, he thinks to himself. He briefly remembers a quote he once heard that said only fools fall in love, and cannot help but chuckle. He certainly never thought that would be him._

Caleb paced on the rooftop until he saw the train coming from a far distance and decided to get ready to jump. He was still a little shocked that he was actually doing this—running away? Leaving his family? His books, his whole life behind? To become _factionless_? Surely he had gone mad. _Mad for her_ , he thought to himself.

As the train drew closer, he took a few steps back and crouched, giving himself some space to run. This was it; he was really doing this. He was really choosing _her_. And he couldn't have felt happier about his decision. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he thought about finally being able to hold his beloved every day for the rest of his life.

And then they showed up.

A group of troublemakers approached him. He knew them well. They often teased him about his revolutionary ideas and his poems. The last time he saw them, things had almost escalated into a physical fight.

"Hey, look, guys! It's Lover Boy himself!" one of the guys, the head of the group, exclaimed. He had originally wanted to transfer to Dauntless a few years back when his time had come to choose a faction, but he had not been brave enough to go through with it, deciding to remain an Erudite instead, and this reputation preceded him. Still, he was always hanging out with Dauntless initiates. He had a young son named like him.

"Get lost, Eric," Caleb said. "I'm not in the mood for your senseless jokes."

"Oh, we just want to be your friends, Caleb. Maybe you could even write poems about our newfound friendship, and about us abolishing the factions together," he replied snidely. The others snickered. Caleb rolled his eyes and his heart started racing as the train drew even closer.

"Again, not in the mood."

"Where are you going anyway? Looking for your true love? You're going to find her in a train?" he mocked him.

"Why do you care so much about her anyway?"

"Hey, you really _are_ going to take the train. You _do_ know the only place it goes from here is the factionless sector, right? I mean, I know you have a great IQ and all that, but you can be a little dumb sometimes." As Caleb said nothing, Eric started laughing, stricken with realization. "Oh, don't tell me your love letters are about a factionless girl?" He remained silent, which only provided Eric with more ammo. "Man, you're even dumber than we thought!"

As he tried to ignore the bullies, Caleb kept thinking about the events from the day before, to try and cool off his head before doing something to Eric he would later regret.

" _Caleb?"_

" _Yes, dear?" he says while he lovingly caresses her abdomen. They're lying beside each other and it is cold, and he wants to keep her warm._

" _Do you…do you think you could stay over tonight?" Her voice is barely above a whisper._

 _He ponders over the thought, then kisses her cheek. "I have a better idea."_

 _She looks at him curiously and sits up on her bed. "What is it?"_

" _You_ do _have some vacant space here, don't you?"_

 _She chuckles as she looks around them. "Aye."_

" _And your father is almost never around, is he?"_

" _Aye…" She beams._

" _So I was thinking…how would you like it if I stayed here, with you…forever?"_

 _Gabriella gasps in disbelief and grins, tears falling down her cheeks. Gods, he thinks to himself. She's perfect. "You mean, we would live together? Like a family?"_

" _That's precisely what I mean," he says, grinning back at her. He sits up and holds her hands, his warm brown eyes staring into hers. "You're all I need, Ella."_

" _I love you so much!" she squeals against his shoulder. He mentally counts the number of promises he's made to her that day and hopes he can keep them all; he does love her with all his heart, but he's just a boy after all._

 _And yet, everything he's telling her feels so right._

Caleb's heart was warm as he remembered how happy he had made his beloved, and he couldn't wait to be back with her. Sure, they were going to be factionless, but he knew he would always give her everything she could ever want, and more.

The train was only a few hundred feet away now.

"You can't be serious. And what's that backpack for? You're running away!" Eric's laughter sounded more like a howl, and his minions mimicked him.

"Mind your own business. Go away, _now_."

"Or what?" he hissed back, stepping closer to him.

Caleb finally turned his head to face him. "You don't want to know."

"Don't I?" Eric said tauntingly. He walked in front of him and put his hand on Caleb's shoulder. Caleb shook it off aggressively.

"Leave me the _hell_ alone," he cursed.

"Are you really serious? You're actually running away with your little factionless whore? Why, I couldn't possib—" he said, but was cut off by Caleb's fist striking his jaw. He fell to the ground and blood pooled below his face. He stood up slowly.

"Don't you _dare_ say that about her ever again!" he shouted furiously. Eric smirked and licked the blood off his lips.

Barely a few feet away, the train turned and it was now in front of them. Caleb took several steps back and then ran—only to be thrown on the hard concrete by Eric. He felt him punch his ribcage repeatedly. All Caleb could do was hear the train go right past him, while he was unable to get up. One of Eric's friends held his feet on the ground while another held his hands above his head. The others helped Eric with the beating.

Using all of his strength, Caleb slipped from their grasp and stood up, then swiftly struck Eric's chin. He had never physically attacked anyone before, and had always been strongly discouraged from even thinking about it. But his anger and grief were enough to send him down that path.

One of Eric's friends hit Caleb in the face hard, making him stumble close to the edge of the roof they were all standing on. Caleb's body was covered in bruises and cuts but he didn't even realize this—all he knew was he was boiling with hate. Eric walked closer, doubling over in pain as he tightly held his abdomen where he had been kicked just seconds before. He tried to push Caleb off the roof but he fought back.

"And to think," Eric struggled to say between ragged breaths, "this is all about your—your factionless bitch—"

In a fit of rage, Caleb held onto Eric's collarbone and pulled as hard as he could; he didn't want to stop until he heard it snap.

But he was too close to the edge.

He felt his left foot step on thin air and the rest of his body followed; the empty nothingness held him as he fell, fell, fell—ten feet, twenty feet, fifty feet. He just kept falling for what seemed like an eternity and wondered when he would hit concrete—surely it couldn't be much longer now. All he could think of was his darling Ella, and he wondered how he would ever make it all up to her.

He felt his body smash into a glass surface, and as it shattered everywhere around him, he didn't feel pain. He didn't feel fear.

Just the bitter aftertaste of an unfulfilled promise and the agony of a broken heart, too damaged to ever be mended.


End file.
